


The Message on Thanksgiving

by rayandabz



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, Inspired by Stranger Things (TV 2016), Post-Stranger Things 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:31:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24405091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayandabz/pseuds/rayandabz
Summary: The gang at Hawkins go to the Byers to break bread on Thanksgiving and enjoy themselves... But when they get a glimpse of a secret Russian captor, can they have a peaceful Thanksgiving anymore?
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair
Kudos: 10





	1. The Trans - Siberian Railroad

It was the winter of 1985 in Russia. After the narrow escape from the Starcourt Mall at Hawkins, Indiana, the Russians did not cease their efforts. In fact, they had made progress, tremendous progress.  
Only last week they had put all of the scientists, who were working for them at Hawkins, out of captivity (after about 3 months) and sent them to the east tower of the building, only none of them came back to their cells.  
They had to do this at risk of anyone leaking the information gathered at Hawkins. So it was also bad luck for Hergins Lomatov, who also, after being captive for almost 3 momths, had been dragged out of his cell by two guards.  
He had begged for mercy but they had not listened to his wailing and dragged him by his long strands of hair. They had been given no treatment at all, so all the captive scientists had grown long hair and beards that almost went over their bellies.  
His whinings for mercy unheard, they chucked him into the cell at the east tower where everyone was rumoured to have been disappearing, and he knew exactly why. Before he could even open his eyes after he was thrown into the floors or get up, the call door was locked and the two officers went over to a circular wheel, and started moving it to the right. Hergins rushed over to their side (from within the cell) and initiated his final unheard begs for mercy. The second officer snorted a bit. They didn't care as much.  
Hergins turned his back to the two officers as he saw the wooden panel lifting... Smoke commenced from the inside, and slowly a shadowy figure descended from within. Nails as long as a human finger, body grey and a little brown, as if it had been tanned a bit, the creature have a deadly snarl as Hergins fell to the ground, shaking with sobs.  
It stood up on his hind legs and the water on the ce floor splashed, only it was not water, but red... Blood, human blood. The corners were piled with small bones, Hergins knew whose they were exactly. The creature have a monstrous growl through his mouth, which extended like a flower to reveal his teeth. For he had no face.  
Hergins gave a final scream of despair as the creature lunges itself at him. It tips apart his belly from his waistline and digs his mouth into the fresh flesh.

*

There were none of the scientists or people who were at the mall incident left alive. But there was one man, whom they couldn't kill. Just in case he had told someone some secret or had some valuable informatiom. An American ex - chief. From Hawkins. But he wasn't there. He was in a part of Siberia, with the rest of the Russian slaves or heroes from war who had been enslaved for inexplicable reasons.  
The man had shaved off his head. It was freezing cold , lower than a minus 10 for sure, but l he had was a thin shirt and two layers of warm clothing. Not enough for that temperature. Not atleast for him. He took of his cap and put his shovel down. He has been forced to work 16 hours a day, like the slaves of the Industrial Revolution, but this was different, harder, harsher.  
Even in the cold, sweat tricked down his forehead. He had worked for 4 hours straight now this morning's starting from four, just when the Sun had risen. He s had his short beard though, and he wiped the sweat beads with the back of his gloved hand. He had been shoveling the snow. Clearing the way for more train tracks of the Trans - Siberian Railroad to be laid, but he simply needed some rest.  
Not caring what the consequences were, he left the scene and went into his shared tent, passing some people who were being slashed with whips for not working very hard.  
Hopper, the old man as he was called, sat down on the floor, where he slept with fifteen others. He began to direct his mind elsewhere, not work, not slavery, but to his daughter. Not exactly his daughter - his adopted daughter. Jane. Whom he had lost when he had come to Russia. He just wished he could explain how - he climbed into the upside down through a slight crack before the machine backfired, and after possibly about 3 or 4 months of travelling, come out throughanotber gate, at Russia. He knew it was the 22nd of November, a Sunday, and his daughter would be happily having ice cream with her friends ( and possibly still boyfriend) while he shoveled the snow for days and weeks. The Russians had not spared him any rest and put him at labour two days after he was found, unsuccessfully extracting any valuable information. He had been beaten for hours. Before being sent to this labour zone, of course.  
All he wished was for all this to be over, to be with his daughter at his cozy cabin watching Miami Vice or whatever on the telly, or eating triple decker eggos. But wasn't she the cause of this breach between world??? His mind sometimes fought with that fact.  
"Having a ret are we?" Hopper was taken by surprise, to see a Russian soldier with bald hair speaking to him almost in a very fluent American accent.  
Hopper played along "as if I had anything else to do at this sluggish hell of a place" the words threatened to say more.  
The soldier marched to him and spat on his face. He boldly took his right hand to brush his face clean and opened his eyes. Another soldier had approached the tent.  
They spoke for a few seconds in English, and the second soldier went away for a few seconds, only to return with a long metal rod. Hopper knew his fate.

*

Hopper had been taken into the torture room, as he called it, almost instantly. Five minutes later, the soldiers left him alone in the room. They switched off the lights as they exited and shut the door.  
Hopper lay on the floors half of his ribs broken, and his skill cracked. His forehead and hands bled, he was as white as a sheet. He fought the pain with the memory of the face of his daughter when he first played her his favourite music to her - she has laughed at him dancing. That was what kept him apiece. And alive.  
As his mind drifted back to his happy memories, he thought whether he would ever see his daughter again, or any of her friends or (probably now) family. He wouldn't even regret seeing Mike, whom he had tried to keep his daughter away from, only to learn he couldn't stop their connection. No matter what. He only wished to see her face again before he died. He doubted whether he ever would.  
He wondered how they would be decorating the house by now, as Joyce had promised to take Jane, aka Eleven, is anything ever happened to Hopper. They would be going through recipies and having a laugh. Playing and running around. And he wa sure that Mike - boy would surely be ravaging through the stores to find a Thanksgiving gift for her daughter. The only thing was, back there in Hawkins, Indiana, the exact same thing was what Mike was doing. Only it was not as Hopper had expected it to happen.


	2. The Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the gang drives up from Hawkins to Bloomington to visit the Byers at their new residence, after an arduous struggle at the newly renovated Starcourt Mall, something happens which is least expected by the person it happens to...

After the whole mall was demolished by the Russian party, Starcourt had been repaired after a long number of repairs and opened just about a week before Thanksgiving. It was the 22nd, when Mike Wheeler was roaming through 'Carey's Lifestyle' shop in the mall, searching for something.It felt like a year after which he was going to go finally meet his friends and girlfriend , and he knew he had to make the right choice of gifts. He had gotten an awesome necklace for eleven, a box of dark chocolate for Ms. Byers (which was her favourite), a new camera lens for Will's brother, and a new X - Men comic for Will. He knew he loved those.  
He went to the counter to pay.  
"How much?" he asked in a happy tone.  
"The old receptionist looked at him wearily and said "you're three dollars thirty short boy."  
"Well... I'm kinda running late... Can I make an advance and pay you the amount when I come back?" He asked in a slightly dissatisfied tone.  
The receptionist merely chuckled, "sure kid. Then just don't ever come back and remain in debt."  
"I'll pay the rest" came a familiar voice from behind. As Mike turned back he was welcomed with an outheld first, which he graciously bumped.  
"Steve! Man! Thanks for the rescue!". He said while Steve just waved his words away.  
"Not a problem bro. Not after what we did a few days ago" he stared eerily at the receptionist, who gave him back the change for his five dollar note, and then continued "I heard you were off to Bloomington to meet the gang eh?"  
"That's right" he said as he observes Steve wasn't wearing his Scoops Ahoy uniform.  
Steve notices his glares and says "I'm working at the video store near the arcade. Anyways... I am supposed to visit my Grand this Thanksgiving and imma also go to Bloomington to visit her, maybe we can meet up one day?"  
Mike shrugged, "sure, anytime" then looked at the watch on his wrist and said "I'd better be off before they leave me! Thanks again!" He said as he shook Steve's hand and ran towards the parking lot.  
"FOUR SPRAYS OF FARRAH FAWCETT SPRAY YEAH!? IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME!" Steve said, hoping Mike heard and understood him, and also buying himself a few mysterious stares from the passer - bys.

*

"What is wrong with you??? It's been like an hour!" Said Lucas as Dustin hit Mike on the back of his head as he hopper into the car and placed the bag of gifts under his seat.  
"Yeah Wheeler I would've killed you if we didn't need you alive for your girlfriend" mocked Max as she earned a eerie look from the others.   
Lucas hit the wheels and drove them away from dead Hawkins and welcome BLOOMINGTON!!!!!!! he had just gotten his driving license a week ago. And getting one at the age of 15, to - be sixteen in two days, was no easy work. Mike wondered how he did it.  
"You got the stuff?" Dustin said as Mike nodded.  
The rest of the drive was all talking about what they would do in Bloomington and how much they missed the others.

*

They reached Bloomington in a few hours, which felt like days because they were so excited.  
When they came to the expected place, they saw the house they expected to see, a little smaller than the other Byers residence, as the second block on the right side of the street.  
They all got out of the car and walked slowly to the door, merely whispering to each other. Lucas parked the car and joined up on them before they reached the door. Mike cleared his throat and nervously knocked the door. It had been a real long time!!! Not to mention the long cerebri chats!!!  
The door slowly opened after the lock clicked and Will appeared from the other side of the door. His face bore a grin which split it into two. He screamed in joy "GUYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!"  
The four of them hugged him so hard they all toppled to the floor. 

*

Down in the tiny basement, Eleven was staring at a lying fork. She looked at it so hard as if her life depended on it. After the battle of Starcourt, she had lost her powers and tried every day to regain them. But never could. Today however. Was different.  
Today was the day when Mike and the rest of her friends came to visit her. They would alll be together after such a long time!!!!!!! Cerebri chats would finally be over, and the next two weeks would be pure bliss. Obviously, the gang had taken a few extra days off school!  
She smiled a bit as she tried to focus again. And then she had another of those painful flashbacks.  
'Joyce hugging will as she stood there after the battle alone and shook her head'  
'All those moments she stayed apart from Mike because of Max and her talks'  
'Going to Hopper's funeral'  
And then it seemed as if lighting had struck and she didn't know what happened but she just shut her eyes and she was back in her mind again. Did she regain her powers or did she just unknowingly dose off after a tiring attempt!?  
Not knowing what happened, she stared at her wet feet and then at the dark void around her until she heard a lost voice, which she yearned to hear again every day. She turned to see a man whose head was shaven and looked thinner than before, bleeding from all places, but keeping it together.  
Then she heard the man speak. She couldn't see his face because she was standing facing his back, but she knew his voice, " I got beat up kid. I don't know if you have powers or not now, but I wanna tell you... I - I will come back to look at you one last time, to ruffle your hair one last time. Before I die in this wasteland. I promise." The man shook with sobs.  
Eleven slowly made her way to his side, seeing how bruised he was. Tears welled up in her eyes. But she was sure it was the man she knew. Hopper. Whom she thought was dead. It may have been a dream. Maybe she did get her powers back. But that moment she heard his voice again, the world melted. She made her way slowly towards the front. As she caught his face, her breath caught. Then the figure started to blow away. Like the dirt blowing in the wind. It disappeared.   
"NO NO NO!" Eleven cried, tears running down her cheeks. She sat down into the water and stared into the void as she cried. But then she heard a familiar voice. Another one she missed. A person whom she wanted to see for so many weeks. His unchanged voice.  
It was concerned "El? El? EL???" It shouted as she snapped out of her dreams, or her mind, for she didn't know if she was asleep or had regained her powers, but she saw a drop of blood near her nostril and wiped it before she turned around to see, against the blinding sunlight, the face of the boy she wanted to see for more than an eternity. And she almost forgot what happened as she launched herself on him and hugged him with all the force she had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be wild guys!! Its gonna be something you guys won't even imagine. It's gonna be so epic I can't wait to write it 😭😭😭😭😭😭

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys this was my first chapter!!!! Next one will come out very soon... Stay tuned it gets very interesting now!!!!!!!


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